Money questions answered

Picture this: You’re in a store or browsing online for a certain item, when another product catches your eye.

- GABRIELLE LICHTERMAN

It’s not on your shopping list and you don’t need it, but it would look fantastic in your kitchen. Many shoppers would put it in their cart right away. But people using the “slow shopping” strategy wait before deciding whether to buy it. That’s because this method lets you pause and consider a purchase carefully, says Julie Guntrip, Head of Financial Wellness at Jenius Bank (JeniusBank.​com).

“This extra time could be a few minutes, 24 hours or even longer, depending on the situation,” she says. “It’ll help you evaluate why you want something. Odds are, when you revisit it with fresh eyes, you’ll be less likely to buy it.”

While retailers work hard to prevent you from having too much time to think— it’s why they use a variety of strategies to prompt quick decisions, such as lowinventory alert and limited-time sales—you can thwart these high-pressure tactics and use slow shopping to keep more cash in your wallet. Just keep reading to learn how!

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